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gh-read-issue-context

@mvillmow/ml-odyssey
6
0

Read context from GitHub issue including body and comments. Use before starting implementation work or when prior context is needed.

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SKILL.md

name gh-read-issue-context
description Read context from GitHub issue including body and comments. Use before starting implementation work or when prior context is needed.
category github

Read Issue Context

Retrieve all context from a GitHub issue before starting work.

When to Use

  • Before starting implementation work
  • When context is needed from prior work
  • When checking if issue has been partially addressed
  • When understanding design decisions made earlier
  • When resuming work after a break

Quick Reference

# Get issue details
gh issue view <number>

# Get issue with all comments (implementation history)
gh issue view <number> --comments

# Get structured JSON for parsing
gh issue view <number> --json title,body,comments,labels,assignees,milestone,state

# Get specific field
gh issue view <number> --json body --jq '.body'

# Get linked PRs
gh pr list --search "issue:<number>"

# Get issue timeline
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/<number>/timeline

Workflow

Starting Work on an Issue

  1. Get issue details: gh issue view <number>
  2. Read all comments: gh issue view <number> --comments
  3. Check linked PRs: gh pr list --search "issue:<number>"
  4. Note key context:
    • Design decisions from comments
    • Blockers or dependencies
    • Acceptance criteria
    • Related issues

Example Session

# 1. Read issue #123
gh issue view 123

# 2. Check for prior work
gh issue view 123 --comments

# 3. See if any PRs exist
gh pr list --search "issue:123"

# 4. Get machine-readable data if needed
gh issue view 123 --json title,body,labels,state

Data Extraction

Get Specific Fields

# Title only
gh issue view <number> --json title --jq '.title'

# Body content
gh issue view <number> --json body --jq '.body'

# Labels as list
gh issue view <number> --json labels --jq '.labels[].name'

# Comment bodies
gh issue view <number> --json comments --jq '.comments[].body'

# Comment count
gh issue view <number> --json comments --jq '.comments | length'

Parse Comments for Keywords

# Find design decisions
gh issue view <number> --json comments --jq '.comments[].body' | grep -i "design decision"

# Find blockers
gh issue view <number> --json comments --jq '.comments[].body' | grep -i "blocked\|blocker"

# Find completed items
gh issue view <number> --json comments --jq '.comments[].body' | grep -i "completed\|done"

Status Checking

Issue State

# Check if open or closed
gh issue view <number> --json state --jq '.state'

# Check closure reason
gh issue view <number> --json stateReason --jq '.stateReason'

# Check assignees
gh issue view <number> --json assignees --jq '.assignees[].login'

Related Items

# Find PRs that close this issue
gh pr list --search "closes:#<number>"

# Find mentions in other issues
gh issue list --search "in:body #<number>"

# Find commits referencing issue
gh api search/commits?q=repo:{owner}/{repo}+<number>

Error Handling

Problem Solution
Issue not found Check issue number, may be in different repo
No comments Issue may be new or have minimal discussion
Auth error Run gh auth status to verify
Rate limited Wait or use authenticated requests

Best Practices

  1. Always read comments first - They contain implementation history
  2. Check for linked PRs - Prior attempts may exist
  3. Note acceptance criteria - Success criteria should be clear
  4. Look for blockers - Dependencies may not be resolved
  5. Extract key decisions - Design choices should inform implementation

References

  • See .claude/shared/github-issue-workflow.md for complete workflow
  • See CLAUDE.md for project conventions